Love after chess
by TempeGeller
Summary: After the championship, Florence waits if her father is still alive. She's moving to an island of Scotland to get away from the memories she and Anatoly made. But what if she can't get all of the memories to go away? Freddie/Florence friendship, possible Florence/Anatoly
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, _

_As a fan of Chess, I always wanted to know what happened after Chess. About Florence, I loved all of the stories that were out there. Just a part of me wanted to write this story. Because I always wanted to know what happened to her father. _

_This is what I wanted to happen.  
DISCLAIMER: The story of Chess does not belong to me. I love this musical and I found a need to give Florence the ending I needed her to have. I love both Florence and Svetlana, but I don't think she and Anatoly were truly the best for each other. _

_So here's the story I wanted to write. Feel free to review! _

_It would mean the world to me. _

_Enjoy, _

_TempeGeller._

* * *

**Love after Chess**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Gone**

After a year in London, Florence felt like heading away from the busy city. There was no lonelier place than a city filled with people who were just as lonely as she was. She had never been this unoccupied, at times like this she would keep an eye on her chess champion. Right now there was no one to look after, no one but her. Years she hadn't taken care of herself. Now she noticed how her living style wasn't healthy at all.

The fast lunches she still used, were horrible for her. She knew her body didn't need any of those high fat or high sugar products. She was surprised that she hadn't gained any wait on a lifestyle like this. Why didn't anyone tell her that it was unhealthy? That's right, no one had cared. Even Antonly had been too busy with chess at time, to even care. And Freddy only had eyes for himself. Why did she never demand more attention? The truth was really simple, Florence was simple not an attention hugger. She was a young person. Someone that took care of other people. That's why she couldn't take care of herself.

She stared out of the window from London, this was a simple apartment. The walls were painted in a bright purple color. The furniture was in a subtle brown color, the kitchen had not been used. Not since she moved in here after Bangkok. She had lived in London with Antonly, but they had decided not to return. She had no idea whether this was an omen of the fate of their relationship. Was Antonly aware of his return to the Sovjet union? Off course he wasn't. That was what she hoped. She stared at the phone, she was waiting for it to ring. She was obsessed by finding out about the fate of her father. Was he dead? If he was, she would be all alone. It wouldn't change anything. She turned to the window once more again. Florence remembered the days in Hungary. They ran away when the Russians attacked Budapest. Her father and mother had taken her away. Did she remember anything? She wasn't sure. She didn't remember anything special. She believed that the most memories she had, were ones that she created. The facts were simple, her father was captured. Her mother had taken of her and later she had fallen in a depression. She remembered that her mother hadn't been all that happy and when she was 8, she died. Some said of a broken heart, in reality she had died of an extremely hard winter in London England. From then on her aunt had raised her. Florence only 8 had grown.

At 17, Florence was drawn to Chess. Not just Chess, to Freddy. Freddy was a careless chess champion. He didn't have any manners, and was convince that everyone around him couldn't be trusted. On the outside he seemed like a cruel man, an arrogant chess champion. Yet, Florence still was drawn to him. Maybe it was the lack of any parental figures in his life as well. They were the same in so many ways. Yet, they were different. Florence liked to take care of people and Freddy. She stayed with him for seven years, that was when it got too much. Freddy's behavior towards her was getting worst. He always directed mean words to her, especially when he did something wrong. Or when the press had talked about his 'high' demands. Florence was always the one that endured under his pressure and in a way it was so show his affection. Yet, showing affection through frustration didn't create a fun loving feeling. When he addressed Florence as his second, he always talked about how demanding she was. About how firm she needed to be. There was never a moment for her to break down.

And when you had no time to break down, sometimes you didn't feel a thing at all. Because when you are trying to hide any emotion, you would become numb for the world.

The phone rang as a high pitched sound. In her mind she wanted to run towards it, pick it up and scream at whoever was on the other end. Scream to return Anatoly to her. Or maybe anyone that could care for her. Yet that wouldn't be fair to whomever was calling the house. Most people were unaware of her broken heart. Since her face never showed any pain or  
She stepped to the phone, she placed the horn to her ear. "Vassy." Answering with her last name was difficult right now and the voice on the other end was no other that of Walter de Courcey, the man that worked for Global TV. She didn't really want his voice, yet the news about her father was something she did want to hear.  
"We know nothing." His voice whispered as she threw the phone on its holder and sat down on the closest chair. Tears coming down over her face, they didn't know anything, that was not a good thing. If he were alive, they would have known by now. Did she have to give up Anatoly for that?  
When she stood up, her head felt weak and for just a moment she thought she wouldn't be able to keep her body right up. So she returned to her sitting position. She had gotten up to fast, or she had known too much pressure in the last month. Well, she had. Slowly she moved from the chair to her bed. She moved her arms around her body, and covered herself in the covers. As she closed her eyes, she found peace for just a moment.

Her eyes awoken when a wave of nausea hit, her legs hadn't moved faster in the last moment since she had returned from Bangkok. She hovered above the toilet as 5 minutes later, she felt better than she had before. When she cleaned her mouth, she was confronted with her own reflection. She looked bad, her skin was almost transparent white, her eyes were smaller than normal. And her hair was mess, she looked like someone that was about to give in.  
"Come on, Florence." She moved her hand to her face. "You can do better, you don't need him."  
It almost seemed that her mind screamed untruth in her. It told her that she did need him, she had needed him for all those months. He knew her well, without even needing to say a word. True, she wasn't a woman of many words and he wasn't a man of many either, yet with one word they could explain this entire situation. 'Awful' that word came pretty close.

As she stared at her reflection, she almost felt the need to break the mirror. Yet fighting that need was easier than she expected. Walking away from it did the deal. She stepped in her kitchen, everything had been packed up. Yet she was still able to find a glass she had missed the day before. The water didn't taste to well, almost like the emotion that was screaming in her body. And then a knock on the door.  
She almost wanted to smile maybe it was her father. Maybe they hadn't called that he was coming home. Maybe they wanted to surprise her, in her mind she could see him as she opened the door. She didn't know what face to put to the figure, yet she knew that her father would not recognize her either. As she opened the door, disappointment hit her as it was Freddie who watched her.

"It's you…" She rolled her eyes in frustration.  
"Well, can you at least fake that you're happy to see me." He smiled "It's not really good for my self-esteem."  
"You will survive it." She stepped in her apartment. "What's it Trumper?"

"Florence, I thought we were on first name basis."  
"Well, a lot has happened." Florence stared in his eyes. "Frederick."  
"I can do with that." He stared at her. "Heard anything about your father's case? Is he on his way home?"

"The chance exists that he's dead." Florence sat down as she put her hand to her head, she felt the same feeling in her head. Almost like she was fainting. "de Courcey didn't know anything. So, it's still waiting, I fear the worst."  
"I'm sorry, Florence. Are you okay?" He stared at her. "Florence, I care for you and you look rather poor. Like you haven't slept for weeks…"  
"I think that's because I didn't sleep very well…" She felt how another wave of nausea hit her. Once more again her legs carried her to the bath room, with her head over the toilet. She felt Freddie's very presence in the room. Almost like she had eyes in the back of her head. As she returned her eyes to him, he kneeled down beside her.  
"Why didn't you call that you were sick?" Freddie slowly pulled her closer.  
"Please, I…" Florence turned away. "I don't know what's going on with me Freddie. I've been.."  
"Can you please leave?" She stood up. "I need to pack some more, I'm moving to Scotland. It's to busy in London, so I need time."  
"Florence, do you think it's smart? You in that house all by yourself?"  
"I think I need to move on from this apartment, Freddie." Florence turned away. "This house, this city, everything. It holds to much memory to Anatoly. So undoing the memories from its form, I decided to leave the memories in London."

"So you're running?" He raised an eyebrow.  
"I wouldn't call it running." She turned away. "I would call it moving on. I can't move on in this city, I'm not like you know."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Freddie turned to her. "Florence."

"He's not coming back Freddie." She stared at her feet. "Neither of them, not my father or my Anatoly. Can you leave, I have some packing to do."  
"Then why don't I help you?" He walked towards the big pile of boxes. "What do you need to pack Florence? I can talk some sense in you…"  
"Why are you here Freddie?" She turned to him. "It's been a month, why weren't you here earlier? Why are you here when I don't need you."  
"I would like to disagree with that…" He smiled "I'm making myself handy, am I not?"

He stepped towards her bedroom, throwing open her dresser. He grabbed a box from the living room as he started to carefully put her clothes in the boxes. Florence slowly crossed her arms, she stared at him. He was almost too careful to keep her clothes neat and tidy. She rolled her eyes as she took another box and opened the dresser next to his. She copies his careful movement and brought her clothes in the boxes.  
"I used to love this dress…" He took of its hanger and put it in the box.  
"I know…" She smiled for just a moment. "What is it you want, Freddie? You never just help…"  
"Florence, I want you back…" Freddie turned to her. "I wanted to prove that I could be there for you when you needed me. How can I prove that when you're moving?"  
"I'm moving, that's final." She put some of socks in the box. "Why do you care so much Freddie?"  
"Because I love you Florence." He turned away from her to reach for another dress. "Always have, always will."  
"Then you had a very strange way of showing." She turned away. "Freddie, too much has happened. I…"  
"I have always taken you for granted." He took a skirt from its hanger. He turned to her. "I never knew you were the only one that actually took care of me, It felt so invasive to me. I never thought it meant a thing to me, you were the first one to ever…"  
"To ever what?" She shook her head. "Love you or help you?"  
"Both." He reached for another piece of clothing. "When you were getting closer to Anatoly, I thought I didn't need you. You don't know what you have, when you lose it."  
"Well, I'm glad you understand that Freddie." She closed the drawer as she opened the next. "But it's too late now, too much has happened between us and I don't know if I can ever trust you again. You don't understand how much words hurt, Freddie. And until you do, you will never truly see the consequence of your actions."  
"I do know what my words do…"  
"You don't." She started putting the content of the drawer in the box. "If you knew the thing your words did, you would put this thing in the past. It's over, Freddie. You left chess in the past, why don't you put me with that? We should be in each other's pasts. Just like Anatoly is in my past."  
"Accept he's not…"

"Well, that's my own issue." Florence glared at him, almost like she was trying to send her anger to him. It wouldn't reach him, she returned her gaze to the work she was doing.  
"I'm returning to chess." Freddie turned away. "Anatoly was the one that actually showed me how much I needed chess. I will be competing. What do you say, my perfect second?"  
"I'm not coming back." She turned away. "I've spend my whole playing games, I'm done. I'm taking up a new job, I'll be writing for a newspaper. I'm done. I however can give you the address of a perfect second."

"Florence, we're a team."

"No, I'm moving on from that life." Florence turned around. "I'm leaving chess in England, but don't make that a reason not to visit me in Foula."  
"you're moving to Foula?"  
"It's time Freddie." He slowly touched his hand. "Good luck with the chess. I have faith you can become the best again. You were always such a great chess player. I have just one tip, please don't let anything get to your head again, you were on your best when you just care about chess."  
"You're right Flo." He put the last of her clothes in the box. "So this is it. This is goodbye?"  
"No." She hugged him. "This is 'visit me when you want, but leave chess home'."

As she had her arms pulled around her, another wave of nausea hit her. She ran to her bathroom, putting her head over the so familiar toilet.  
"Flo, will you go to the doctors?" He pointed to her. "That bug doesn't look all to healthy. And you can't possibly be moving all your stuff this way."  
"Freddie, what does that mean?"  
"I'm going to help you, I owe that to you?." Freddie smiled "When does the moving truck arrive?" "Tomorrow afternoon." She shook her head. "So I'll just make an appointment with a doctor. It's just a bug, he'll say I need to rest and it will just go away."  
"Well, let him say that." Freddie smiled "That's why they're here for."

* * *

As Florence returned from the doctor, the news of a pregnancy still sunk in. She didn't believe that she was actually taking a memory of Anatoly with her. It was something that she couldn't leave behind in London, as hard as she tried. An abortion was not something that had graced her mind, not even for a second. As the late year of 1981 ended around her, she returned her memory to the competition in early November. How far it seemed from her? Yet her body showed the signs of a month far in her pregnancy.  
What was she going to do? Should she consider calling Anatoly or should she keep her current situation a secret to him? And how did she even need to reach him, she didn't have a number. She was sure if she went through the proper channels, she would be able to figure out his phone number. People would gladly give it to her, there was no reason why they wouldn't. Yet a part of herself wanted to keep him unaware of that. What good would it do if he knew? He wouldn't be able to get to her, he wouldn't be able to help her. He was bound to Svetlana, in a marriage that made neither of them happy.

She was hundred percent sure of the unhappiness of both parties. Maybe it was Sventlana's own infidelity that kept her bound to a man she might have loved, once upon a long time ago. But right now it was a truth that anyone could see, there was no love between the two of them. Maybe there was some kind of need to keep the other one save, as well as getting Florence her father back. Yet nothing of that had worked. And it was all because of Malakov and his secret plans. He was a KGB agent, and one in every sense of the word. He used people as pawns in his plan and once they were no use to him, he got rid of them.  
People never left his chance and chess was the biggest weapon to show the power of the East. That was the very thing that pushed her away from chess, it had too much negative tastes in her memory. Yet its very starting point was positive, her father had thought her chess as a way to connect to her. They had played for hours and there was not one secret the game had for her. Yet the negativity prevented her for playing herself, women were not smart enough to claim the game as their own. And even when she was Freddie's second, they always looked at her as not belonging there. So being a champion herself wasn't an option in these days, so she decided to join champions.  
It was only until her father and mother were gone that she was pulled to the world of competitive chess, a world where the cold war of East and West was noticeable in. Who won was the one that represented the power of their side. And when she met Freddie, she had tried to keep his East hating side out of the news. Yet it was always that side that kept coming up. When he won he was a hero to the world and the year later, they did everything to pull him from that hero spot. Maybe that was the very reason why he lost from Anatoly, the pressure got to him. It made him weaker than the man that stood above all of it.

She turned away, now this was it, she was leaving Chess behind her and moving to a place that wasn't known to many. An island, she was sure that people would leave her alone. It wasn't world news that she stopped being a second to champions. It would have been bigger news if anyone knew of her current position, the pregnancy she hoped to keep from everyone.

As she opened the door, she stared at Freddie. He seemed worried about her as he threw his arms around he flare figure.  
"So, what did the doctor say?" He watched her eyes. "The flue?"  
"Yes." She nodded with a smile. "Any phone calls when I was gone?"

"Well, De Courcey called." Freddie turned to him. "They found your father. He's alive."  
Her eyes opened farther as she heard the happy news she never expected to hear. She thought he would be dead, she thought he would be gone. Now she found out she was not alone anymore. Her father was alive. She smiled as she opened her mouth. "When is he coming home?"  
"Well, he got on a plane about 2 hours ago." Freddie stared at his watch. "The flight would take about 5 hours. I think he will land in about 3 hours."

"Did they say what flight he was one?" Florence smiled "Where he would be landing?"  
"I'm picking him up." Freddie stared at him. "I think you will better rest, I mean you need to be rested when you see him once again."  
"Don't you think that will freak him out?" She turned to him. "Freddie, he doesn't know you. I'm his daughter, I should be there when you pick him up. I insist on being there!"  
"And I insist you're resting. Florence you are sick, you should stay in bed." He pointed to her bedroom door. "You sleep. Beside you should be here when the moving trucks arrive. So they don't steal any of your stuff…"

"That's right, the events made me forget about moving." She turned away. "Or you could look after the moving trucks when I pick up my father?"  
"What if you get sick behind the wheel?" He lifted an eyebrow. "And you lose control off the vehicle. It could end up bad for you and your father. Trust me, I'll make sure your father feels hundred percent welcome."  
"Did De Courcey say anything about his mental state?" Florence folded her arms . "Sure being in a Russian prison can't do much good, especially when you didn't do anything wrong."  
"He didn't say a thing about that, Florence." Freddie replied "You know De Courcey, he doesn't give a damn about human emotions. He's just as uncaring as that Russian bastard."

"Good." Florence nodded. "I'll just do as you say and go get some rest."  
"Good girl." He smiled.

She did as he asked her. She folded the warm covers around her tired body. As she closed her eyes, she held her hand to her stomach. She had her baby now and her father. Well, she obviously needed to tell her father about the baby. She also needed to tell him about them moving to an island in Scotland, not that she thought he would really mind. The last thing he needed now was the busy streets of London, they were not like Hungary at all. There were too much people and that was not good in his current state of mind. She smiled, luckily was the house she bought big enough for all of them. She had saved up money in all of this years working, and she was able to buy an house on Foula. A 4 bedroom house with a very large garden and a big attic. She was sure she would never need it, yet it was the most beautiful house. And since she was in love with the house and money could buy her dream, she decided to buy the beautiful house. Right now it she wanted to know if she felt the outcome of events. A bedroom for the baby, one for her and one for her father. That would still give her a spare room, if Freddie ever felt the need to come over. Not that she wanted it, but she was sure that Freddie would drop buy. She turned to the clock, how come only 5 minutes had passes? She was sure time was making a mock of her, going very slow so she would go crazy with it.

Calm down Florence. Time is not able to drive you insane. You've lived through worst thing thatn this. You surely can live 3 more hours without your father. More, since Freddie needed to find her father, drive back here. Technical it would be around 4 hours, or maybe even more. Since her apartment wasn't really close to the apartment. She turned away from that clock, that damn clock that kept mocking her with every glare she even dared to make to it. Stupid clock, she thought, why couldn't time go fast when she wanted to. When she was with Anatoly time was fluent, it went faster than water itself. And hours passed in only minutes. And this time, didn't do that. It haunted her very existence, as Anatoly's absence; What would he be doing right now? Would his mind be with her too? And would he be thinking about moving too? With his family, She hated that he had kids, that he thought of as his kids. And she had a child that would not be counted to that term, since this child would never be part of the group 'his kids'.

She turned around to the clock once more again, as the clock moved one minute farther. She smashed her hand to it as it fell to the floor. She thought about it, didn't she have to pack her bed too. Yes, Freddie was going to take that in his moving van. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't. She just couldn't.  
It seemed like a minute had passed, her eyes had closed for only a minute. Yet it felt like so much time had passed. The door opened up as footsteps walked in the room.  
"Florence!" The voice of Freddie came from the living room. There were two footsteps, one that belonged to her father. She was sure of it.  
"She's a bit sick, I'll get her." Florence threw her leg out of the bed as she heard those words. The dizzy feeling didn't stop her for a minute. She ran to the door and opened it. There was Freddie and next to him was a man that looked familiar. He had dork brown eyes, the kindest she reminded from her past. She reminded them from her many chess games. Eyes that were kind and promising. He was wearing simple clothes, a blue pants and a blue shirt with long sleeves. His hear was white grey and he was about a head taller. When she was younger he was double her size. Right now it seemed that he was still the hero she remembered him to be.

"Florence." He opened his arms to invite her in them. And he didn't have to ask twice, she ran towards him and took the hug he had meant for her.  
"I missed you so much Florence." He had tears in his eyes. "Where's your mom?"  
"Mom…" She paused. "Mom died."  
Silence and pain came to his face in one moment. Off course her father could have foreseen the dead of his wife and her mother, but maybe he expected to return to his family. He would wake the family complete. Florence turned to him.  
"So this handsome man…" Her father paused. "Is he your boyfriend?"  
"Daddy!" She gave him a playful push. "No, this is Freddie. My friend. I used to be his second, he was the world champion in Chess."  
"Oh, is that so?" He smiled at her. "I actually thought my daughter would be a perfect example of a chess champion herself. She's pretty sly you know. Her face told me her pieces were horrible and with one move, she defeated me with no way out."  
"Your daughter is a very good chess player." Freddie smiled "Losing her would be an honor on itself. It's a shame that the world regards women unable to play chess."  
"Not a shame…" Her father smiled "A disgrace."

"Gregor Vassy." Freddie laughed in humor with the man next to him. "So you heard your daughter is moving to a small island in Scotland."  
"Yes." Gregor turned to him. "You told me about in the ride over here, how you were sure it was a stupid decision. Yet I agree, if there's something you need to move on from. You need to leave.."  
"Oh, so you probably told dad all about Anatoly on your way over here?"

"Well, he did tell about the past years in your life." Gregor replied "What I can see from this man, he must be noble giving up your love to get me back to you."

Florence nodded her head as she turned away from Grogor and Freddie. The moving truck sounded right at that instant as there was a knock on the door. 'I'm coming' where the words that came in her mind. She opened the door as they started to move the boxes to the moving truck.  
"Did you live here with that boy?" Gregor turned to Florence. "Anatoly?"  
"Yes I did." She turned away. "That's why I need to get away. Everything reminds me of the year we had together. I need to start with a clean slate."  
"So is there room for your old man in that house?"

"Off course."

* * *

The next day's went by in a haze. The moving took less time that she had thought, mostly since her father and Freddie took on all the work. Putting every last piece of furniture in the van. Before she left she let her eyes stare at everything for just a moment. The empty walls itself held memories, they spend so much time deciding what colors they needed to be that no wall had no memory to her. The furniture was a different story, they were all hers. And anything that had been his, had been removed a day after he won that very match. Almost like he didn't want to return for that. It had been that guy Molokov, picking up the things 'Anatoly asked for.

And then she closed the door, locking the faze of Antoly in the only way she could. The memories would momently go away. Just a moment, before they would be rushed back in 9 months. Because the baby was surely going to have some of his features. Even if it were just his dark eyes or his curling hair. That child would always remember her about the champion she had lost. Now the car was leaving London, and they were heading to their new home.  
The journey took just as much time as she thought. Her father, Freddie and herself tried to listen to music to pass the time away. As the night hit, they looked for a place to stay. A hotel or a motel, or anywhere they could pause for a little while. In those nights Gregor took out his chess board. Even now Florence still had the strategy to beat Gregor.  
It brought back pleasant memories from their past.  
Freddie stared to them as they were playing together. The smile on Florence's face was the only thing that he could see. It was then he left the room, to the closest payphone in the neighborhood. He put a piece of 2 pounds in the payphone and placed a call to Russia.  
"Sergievsky." The male voice said.  
"it's me." He spoke. "Her father is save. They're together right now."

"Is she okay, Freddie?" It was Anatoly. Still worried about Florence. "With her father."  
"I can assure you she's happy. She's stepping away from chess all together. She's moving to a small island in Scotland. A place where the memories of you, can't bother her."  
"So you think she's happy?"

"She will be."  
"Freddie, you have to look after her." Antonly spoke "You need to make sure she's okay. Can you do that? Make sure she's happy."  
"She has her father…" He smiled "She will be okay. I mean you can forget love, right?"

"I hope I can." With that Anatoly put down the phone. Remind of himself that his family wasn't all that it was. As he saw Svetlana, he closed his eyes. He wasn't happy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Love after Chess**

**Chapter 2: Not forgotten**

Florence stared out of the window, the move went very well. Every part of furniture had been placed on the right spot. Her books were placed in the book case, some part of her still wanted to learn another language. Mostly Russian, her Hungarian was getting a bit rusty. Yet if she took a chance to speak it a bit more, it would coming rushing back to her. Yet her mind went to Anatoly and her pregnancy. She hadn't mentioned that thing to her father, they had spent the past couple of days searching for anything he needed. Decorating his room had turned out to be more difficult. Yet when he got a new chess board, they spent all their nights finding new strategies to use. He was talking about heading to the chess championship next year, but Florence had never reacted to it.  
It was their thing, chess had always been. They needed to get closer, before she dropped the big baby bomb. She hadn't talked to her father, about her mother either. The story was something she never truly got in her. And right now with the hormones going through her body, she would fall in to tears. Somehow she was glad that chess was the only thing they talked about. And now he stepped in the room once more again, holding the new chess board she bought him.  
"Van kedve egy játék a sakk?" He asked if she wanted to play a game in Hungarian. He had been speaking Hungarian to her. And she always understood what he was saying, yet it wasn't her first feeling to answer in English.  
"Igen, én nagyon várom azt." Florence laughed as she sat down over him. "Fehér vagy fekete?"

"Ön dönti el." He moved her hand towards her. She was able to choose between black and white, that was her favorite thing about playing with her father. He agreed to whatever she choose and sometimes she felt more like playing with the white figurines and other times she was in a mood to play with the black figurines. Maybe that was her emotion.  
"Fekete." She chose the black side.  
"Jól vagy, Florence?" He asked her if the choice of black had anything to do with her not being okay. His eyes stared at her.  
"Én nem érzem, beszélni róla. Tudunk csak sakkozni?" She stared at him, like she said. She didn't feel like talking about it. She just wanted to play chess.  
"Fogsz beszélünk róla később?" She didn't want, but she knew some time the baby bomb had to fall. And if she waited any longer, he would start noticing.

She didn't say anything back. She just nodded her head. Now they placed the figurines on the board. Florence kept her attention to his face. She kept her attention to the game and pushed everything off her mind. Maybe now she started to understand why Anatoly loved chess so much, but she would never pick chess over the person she loved. She would actually have picked him over chess. Yet he hadn't felt the same way and he wasn't thinking about her in any way.  
"Florence, miért nem vesz részt a sakk bajnokságot?" He spoke about him not understand why she hadn't been the champion, but the second instead.  
"Én nem vagyok olyan jó, mint gondolod. Én nyerni a Freddie és Anatolij. Ez nem jelent semmit, apa." She replied that she wasn't good enough to win and that she could win from Freddie or Anatoly, but that didn't mean anything. She returned her eyes to the board.

"Ez azt jelenti, hogy van tehetsége. Azt hiszem, akkor igazán jól, Florence."  
She doubted if she would actually win, yet she had never really thought about competing herself. Her father was actually the first person that given her faith that she would be able to win. She stared at the pieces once more again. Time passed by as they played more than one game. She was so happy, that it seemed so easy to play together again. It almost seemed like she was 5 years old again. As the chess game ended, a smile appeared on Gregor's face.  
"Tehát ne hiányzik, Anatolij?" Off course she missed him, nodding her head was a simple movement to show that emotion that was heading up in her.  
"Ez mi a baj?" He put his hand to hers. He asked again what was wrong, why she was acting in this way. His eyes were right on hers as a tear came from her eyes.  
"I'm pregnant." She had no idea how to say that in Hungarian. It wasn't one of the things she would have told her father at 5 years old and she would never have told her mother. So she simple never learned the word. His mouth fell open, as his speechless nature got too much to her. "Apa, mondj valamit!"  
"Nem is tudom, mit mondjak. Tudja?" She wouldn't have known what to say either, so she couldn't ask her father much more either. She shook her head, telling him he had no idea. Should she tell him. She had no idea how her father would react, what he would say. Yet the second thing on his mind was to put his arms around her, trying to help her. It did make everything better. Somehow a part of the pain went away.  
"Van egy felesége." She whispered. Her father stroke her hear as he tried to calm her down again. It was only now the pain of Anatoly came to her again. When she admitted to her father about the child she was having. She was taking great care of herself, yet telling someone made the truth even bigger. Like she wouldn't be able to lie to herself anymore. The best thing about everything was her father, he hadn't been mad. They didn't talk about it more than they should. With those small words everything was everything said.

As the chess game ended, Florence watched her father prepare supper. It seemed he took a chance to get as much vegetables as possible. He would say it was good for his future grandchild and that her mother should have seen this. He was clearly very happy about the baby, even if most people would stare after her for having a baby outside of wedlock. Even if she would say, that the father was locked in a wedding. It wasn't to her, but that was not the point. She sat down as she smiled to him.  
Every day was the same, they would always play a game of chess. Even more if it wasn't a sunny day, which mostly didn't happen in the winter. So they spent their days, in the exact same way. It wasn't lonely, they were perfectly happy just the two of them. And as the months passed by, Florence found out about the triplets. Having one baby made her scared, but having three would make her even more scared. The doctor said he couldn't know for sure what the sex of each baby would be. They didn't bring science that far. And as 1882 happened, the championship of chess started again. Freddie was playing his way to the world championship once more again, to play again to Anatoly. Would he be able to win this time? The press had a field day with this thing. She would write simple stories in the papers. She wrote her thinking on the moves of the players as she watched it once more again. She would write her findings on who would win the next time and even a nice story she shared with some of them. But when Anatoly's game passed by, she would keep her pen quiet. Almost like she didn't know what to write. She did write that he was a nice person and a brilliant chess player. The fact that she was able to beat him more than 15 times made the article too. It seemed like she was trying to make herself look better, yet hat was the truth.  
But even then, people loved her. People in the chess world knew her as the second of world champions. Some even asked why she didn't return more actively in the world of competitive chess and some even wanted her to attend the competitions. However she was always able to turn that offer down, as she said she feared flying more than anything in this world. Her father was another reason why she didn't want leave him. And always had people understood what they said.  
Time passed by as her stomach started the sign of pregnancy. Everything became too much and her emotions became a burden. She was unable to control it. She spent more time resting or laying time. There was also a part of herself that wanted to play chess. And when she was busy doing so, she could pull a part of her mind of the pregnancy. Sometimes they would talk about Freddie, who seemed to make his way back to the competition in October. She would give birth to her kids in the beginning of August. She looked forward to it, yet a small part of her dying in labor. It was the fear of every mother, because it was something that was always a scary possibility.

As time passed by, the spare attack started to look more and more than the nursery. The walls were a simple purple, the same color she and Anatoly both liked. It only seemed fare that the only color Anatoly truly like would have the biggest part in the room of her future children. There were 3 cribs, for each of them. There was a dresser with small clothes in it, after she had mentioned the child to Freddie he made it a common habit to send clothes to her. Both clothes for a boy and a girl, in every city he won a competition. Which by now was every time. A small note talking about Anatoly was there too. He said he had seen him shortly. And that he was always by himself. He had never seen Svetlana or Malakov. Yet he hadn't told more about Anatoly, not about his state of mind anyway. Part of her would make her happy that he would have been miserable. That he couldn't live without her. That he would run back to her, he would ask Freddie where she was. He would run in her arms and they would be a happy family. Yet that would never happen. All her books in the spare room, told her that it could happen. Yet in real life, no one ever became happy. In the end the child would bring her the only happiness she needed. She smiled as she moved her hand over her stomach. The beginning of July, brought her in her 9th month of pregnancy. She started to look forward to giving birth, her doctor told her that it was in her best interest to take it easy.  
She played a game of chess with her father, sleep and have meals. There was nothing more she could do. Her father had transformed himself as the man who had to keep the house clean. When she got out of the bed, she saw that she sometimes wasn't happy with the results. She was however at her best when she didn't look at anything and think about what she would do about the whole situation.

It was the first day of August, she awoke of a horrible pain. A pain that couldn't be described. She was going to give birth, she simple knew it.

* * *

The temperature in Merano was the same as the year he became champion for the first time. Yet right now it was not the last game, it was just another game. He didn't play Freddie either, just another player of America. It wouldn't take much pressure to beat him. The truth was that he beat the man with his full attention on Florence. He was thinking about her eyes, about her hair. Every little detail about her, was one that he kept closer. His sacrifice made it so her father was by her side. She was happy now. And as the game ended, he saw that Florence smiled at him in his mind. She gave him a small playful kiss, luckily this was not considered cheating. If it was, he was guilty of it.  
The truth about his marriage was sad, Svetlana had become even more distant, since her knowledge of his infidelity in their marriage. She talked about Florence all the time, about how she was. She liked to use it against her, how he should be careful. She said that he could never be unfaithful once more again. And he wouldn't, since his heart belonged to Florence. Part of him felt sorry for her. Since he wanted to give her someone who could love her, yet that person wasn't him. The worst thing was that his daughters were also aware of everything had happened. They didn't talk to him anymore, not that had changed. He was never really a big part of their life, chess took him away too many times in a year. If you didn't show any affection in the days you were home, children would not feel love towards a father they didn't know.

A small part of him wanted to see her right here, but she wasn't Freddie's second. And if she was, he had done a great job in hiding her. As he stepped on the elevator, Freddie stepped right next to him. Now it was his chance, he turned to him.  
"So Florence is doing a great job of hiding herself. She…"  
"Florence is not my second." Freddie replied "I haven't seen her in a while. Florence didn't want to be my second, maybe she feared seeing you."  
"I can understand." Anatoly smiled. "She's okay."  
"Yeah, she is." Freddie nodded his head. "She is doing very well. She's writing for the newspaper, she's doing a great jog. I'm sure you haven't read any of her stuff."  
"I did, when I heard that Florence was writing for a newspaper I wanted to read it." Anatoly smiled "She is very funny. It's the truth, she did win chess games. I should be ashamed, I'm not."  
"Off course you're not." Freddie laughed "Florence is a very talented chess player. So sad, she hadn't dared to play chess just yet."

"She's cunning." Anatoly put his head to his hand. "I never told her to play chess, I should have. It was her passion, but I never told her to follow it. It seems that giving her father was the only right thing I ever did."

* * *

Florence stared at the baby in the crib, a girl. Her name was Anna Marie, a name that she had picked out. She knew most times, the parents would pick the names together. Yet that was not the same for her. Anna Marie was in the middle crib, right next to her brother on the left side and her sister on her right. Anna Marie, Ilona and Sander. Her father loved the children, and they were the light of her light. All three of them had the thick curly hair. They inherited it from their father. But they had her eyes, blue eyes. Yet some people told that it blue eyes changed to different colors later on.  
She hoped they would keep her eyes. They were a trade about herself she loved the most. So, she believed her children should be blessed with them. Yet the dark eyes of Anatoly were something she loved too. They were deep and so dark. You could write a lot of stories about those eyes, yet not one story be able to show its perfection.  
She picked the baby up from the crib as she brought Anna Maria closer to her face. A smile on the small child's face brought her so much happiness. This child was so important to her and part of her wand to fly to Russian and show them her children. When she turned around, her father was staring at her.

"Azt hiszem, meg kell mondani neki?" Florence turned to him, she needed his opinion. Did she need to tell Anatoly about his child. Her father stared at her, as if he thought the answer would come to her. Yet when her eyes wouldn't leave her face. He sat down on the bed. They had put it in the room so she could use it as her room. Running up and down the stairs wasn't that easy, so Florence decided to sleep in here.  
"Ez rajtad múlik, drágám." Giving him not more of an opinion.  
"Tényleg?" She walked around in the room. Not understanding why he didn't say more than she would know what to do.  
"Van egy véleményt. Mondd meg, mit tegyek!" She had tears in her eyes, she didn't know what to do. He needed to tell her. "Fogalmam sincs, mit tegyek."  
"Ezt a döntést csak te cam tenni." You can only decide it, that was easy to say.  
"Annyira dühös vagyok vele, nem akarom őket látni. Én nem akarom, hogy baja essen, mint én sérült meg." She told her father about her anger towards him. That she didn't want her children to get hurt. So, she turned around. "Nem akarok hibázni."

"Kövesd a szíved." Her father told her to follow her heart. And her heart told her not to tell. She hadn't forgotten him, but the pain about him should be forgotten. So right now she made the decision not to tell. She was sure that would change. Right now, she didn't tell.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey, _

_Thanks for all the reviews, I really love to hear what you think about the story. I love chess so much, and I was so glad to receive the love out there. Here's the 3__rd__ chapter. I hope you enjoy it.  
TempeGeller_

* * *

Love after Chess

**Chapter 3: Return to the Battleground**

Florence stared at the words she had written on Freddie's play of chess, she tried to tell the people how Freddie won without using the words no one would understand. She slowly pushed the paper in the hands of her editor.  
"Thanks Florence." He smiled "Always on time with your pieces, just how I like it. People are enjoying what you're writing about chess. How is that?"  
"I used to work with Frederick Trumper and Anatoly Sergivsky." Florence leaned back against the wall. "My father thought me how to play chess. So I pretty much know everything on the subject. Plus, I'm very passionate about chess in the big sense of the word."  
"Well that shows." He smiled "People love your talent to show the play in easy words, that's a talent on itself Florence. Could you be able to cover another match?"  
"No problem sir." She nodded.

She slowly walked away from the office. She loved to work here, mostly she covered local things. Things that had happened, she wrote anything. Yet she seemed to love writing about chess above anything. And with VHS tapes she was able to make a visionary on the playing. Freddie was her first of that kind of articles. She had a complete different understanding on his game. She saw small signs of nerves and more than just his game.  
"Florence wait!" A young women called to her. Her hair was long, wavy and had a very ice blond color. Her eyes were crystal blue, not like any she had ever seen. Her name was Amy, she had lived on the island her whole life. When she came here, she was the first one to Florence. She explained everything and it seemed that they were instant friends. "What's wrong with you?"  
"What…" Florence raised an eyebrow. "What?"  
"You worked for 2 champions." Amy stepped closer. "You must have more talent than working for a local paper writing about anything they send your way. Don't you dream bigger? You could be someone's second, like you did."

"Well I'm not." She turned away. "Plus, it was never really my dream to help someone play chess. It was my dream…"  
"What?" Amy reacted to Florence voice as she wouldn't finish her sentence.  
"To be the player." Florence turned around. "It's stupid, really. I mean a girl playing chess, I mean not much girls do it."

"So you should." Amy sat down on one of the empty desks. "Are you any good?"  
"I beat Anatoly most of the times, so if that means good."  
"You can beat a world champion chess and you're not competing." Amy's mouth fell open out of surprise. "You should compete, so the world can have the best chess player as a champion."  
"I have 3 kids." Florence replied. "It takes at least 3 years to get to that level, and that is if I never lose. Plus, it will demand flying to London and other places. I don't know if I can handle that."  
"Well, you could handle it." She smiled "Plus, the first competitions wouldn't take you out of Scotland. A trip to Edinburgh, is doable right?"

"Yeah…" Florence turned away from her. "I swore not to return to that world, writing about it is enough. These people don't care about chess, it became a weapon. Chess is not a weapon. Plus I'm a girl, they won't take me that serious."  
"Do you love it?" Amy saw how Florence nodded her head. "That right there is all you need to know. I'm sure you can make it far, I'm not saying you'll become world champion. I guess why not, you can beat Anatoly. If you are the best chess player, that post of world champion should be yours. It will make you happy…"  
"Trust me, the last thing I need is to run in to Anatoly." Florence turned away.  
"What makes you say you'll run in to him?" Amy turned to her. "I mean in the first few rounds, you don't come in contact with people from other countries. You'll first have to be a national champion. You will have the time to grow towards this meeting.."  
"I don't want to meet him at all!" Florence had tears in her eyes. "If I do meet him, I won't be able to control myself, too much happened between us."

"You miss him?" Amy touched her hand. "That's why you don't want to see him…"  
"Yes." Florence's eyes showed signs of weakness. "I should return to chess, I mean I should play chess. I love chess, Anatoly shouldn't take that right from me. He didn't want to give up that right to be with me in the first place."  
"You're right." Amy spoke "you are going to be a champion, you have all you need!"

* * *

Freddie stared at her as she finished those words. Yes, she had called the chess federation and told them she was going to join the competition in the new semester that came their way. It would take a couple of years before she ended up on Freddie's level, but she liked playing. So she didn't even think about that, the most important thing was that she wouldn't run in to Anatoly. She still had time to figure out what she would say to him.  
"I think it's an amazing idea, Florence." He hugged her. "You are smart, cunning and I'm sure you will be able to beat me more than 6 times. I shouldn't be supporting you, since that's not the best thing for me. Yet as a friend I can only see how happy it will make you, to what I say, Hell ya!"  
"Thanks, Freddie." She smiled as she stepped to Anna Marie's bed. She pulled the child from it bringing the bottle she just got to her mouth.

"Florence, you are an amazing mom." Freddie said "And an amazing chess player, Anatoly doesn't know what he's missing."  
"Freddie…" She smiled at him. "You're a good friend, you never were a good friend to me when I was your second. Now, you're amazing."

"Speak over second, who will be yours?"  
"Dad." She turned around as she put the child back to the bed. "He insisted doing it, plus it will bring him with me. I trust him, it's the perfect second right?"  
"yes." Freddie nodded as he saw how her father entered the room. He gave Freddie a small nod acknowledging he was right here. Gregor Vassy sat down, he turned to Florence for just a moment. She turned around to Freddie and gave him another smile as she pulled the cookies from the oven. Freddie was enthusiastic to try the first one.  
"Flo, I didn't know you were such a great baker."  
"I have time to practice." She smiled as she returned to the table. "Have you seen Anatoly?"

"I've encountered with him, yes." Freddie turned away. "He's asked after you and your father, I told him you were okay."  
"You didn't tell him anything about them, right?" She seemed panicked when Freddie told her about the encounter with Anatoly.  
"I kept my mouth shut." Freddie took a bit of the cookie. "As far I'm concerned, he doesn't need to know. He left you, end of story. You deserve so much better."  
"So did he look awfully bad?" She smiled "like he can't live without me.."  
"He looked like the Monster of Frankenstein." Freddie laughed. "But on the other end he looked awful previous year too, so not much difference there."  
"Freddie…" She gave him a playful push.  
"I miss this." He turned to her. "I mean we used to have this, I miss you. I don't understand that I was so rude to you. You must have hated me."  
"Water under the bridge…" she turned away. "That faze is behind us."  
"Well, I don't want to be awful you ever again…"

"You know…" Florence smiled "The next time you meet with Anatoly, you should tell about my irresistible new boyfriend. How he's so much better looking than him."  
"Wow…" He laughed.

* * *

Svetlana tapped her foot, waiting for the wooden door to open up. It was already behind 12, dinner had been made that night, yet Anatoly hadn't shown the decency to call her that he was running late. He never called that he was running late. He only cared for one thing, Chess. She was just as unhappy now as she had been when he was hanging around London with that mistress of his. She kept seeing that image of Florence. She was a young beautiful woman with the darkest black hair Svetlana had ever seen , she had soft brown eyes and a perfect figure. She knew that she had just began her 30's, when Svetlana was about to hit that middle line of 35. She still remember that way that Anatoly looked at Florence, he worshiped her. That look had he never shown to her, not even when their marriage was fresh and new. It was because they hadn't fallen in love. Malokov had married her off to the most talented chess player, which happened to be the shy Anatoly. Shy, that was a weird thing. When he was with Florence, he wasn't. When he was with Florence he had a warmth in his eyes.

Anatoly never talked to anyone, he was scared of his own shadow. Most of the time he didn't even like interviews. It was only when he was under Florence's wing that he seemed safe in them. Yet when he was with Malakov, he had shown them a caring man. Yet she had to admit that he wasn't. He did play with his children and they liked him. But on some level, it seemed that he couldn't always connect with them. For one her daughters refused to play chess, they saw it as the most boring game ever invented by men. So they had not shared their father's love for the game.  
Svetlana's eyes went to the door as it opened up. There was Anatoly, his brown curly hair was messy. He seemed that he had been drinking, his eyes were not sure where to look as he pulled his tired body in the room. She stood up, ready to show him she thought he should stop the drinking and return to his normal self.  
"Anatoly!" She yelled. "Is this an hour to arrive at home, intoxicated by the beverage you so foolishly drank. What would you say if the kids saw you like that?"  
"Nothing…" He turned away.

"It's not my fault you know." She screamed. "That you can't see your little mistress anymore. She's in England somewhere, I'm sure that you could visit her if you wanted too. Yet you've chosen this life and now you have to make the best of it. That means you stop drinking over that little Hungarian of yours."  
"She has a name…" He replied "It's Florence."  
"Florence, Hungarian, the bitch that ruined our marriage."

"Our marriage was broken before Florence." Anatoly turned around "Or am I supposed to believe that you stay faithful to me when I leave…"  
"You should say the many times you leave…" She spoke "You're never at home. You like Chess more than you like me."  
"Well, my chess board doesn't nag as much as you do!" He said with a extreme rude accent. "It also doesn't judge me when I drink too much."  
"Well, than you should have married that board of yours." She turned away as she stepped in the kitchen. "So how is your little Hungarian?"

"Florence is fine." Anatoly turned away. "Freddie told me."  
"So you're unhappy that she's fine, aren't you?" She laughed. "Doesn't a little part of you wish that she would be crying for you to return, that she would beg you. I bet you dreamt she would have stopped eating, felt in a terrible situation, so you could come in and be her savior. I guess you're sad that she's okay, poor Anatoly."  
"Stop it, Svetlana." He turned away. "Where are the kids?" 1  
"They are in bed, where they should be." She turned away. "You know that Anatoly."

He stepped on the stairs, why was she happy? Or did Freddie lie to him? Maybe he was trying to get her back. Why didn't he want Florence to be happy in the first place. Wouldn't it be honest for him to ask for her happiness. Yet it hurt him that the absence of him did nothing to her, that she was able to move on that easily. Because without her, he felt that a big part of him was missing. It would almost be a year since he last kissed her. Since he last saw that beautiful face, since he saw her smile. That day he saw her on the airport was the most difficult moment of his life, the tears in her eyes when she found out he'd returned to the Russian side was heart breaking. It was even harder when he found out that she wouldn't be back at the next world championship chess, he would have been able to see her once. Yet the only person that he'd seen was Freddie. A man that he could miss, yet he had talked about Florence's happiness. True, he did ask him. Yet he hoped to hear that she talked about him all the time, that she was waiting for his return in their apartment in London. Yet it seemed that she left that apartment that had meant so much to the both of them, she had sold it and bought a house somewhere else. She and her father had moved there. And that was what he knew about her.

He did know she joined a local paper and someone he knew send everything that Florence wrote to him, he kept a scrap book with every article, yet it never showed a picture of the woman he missed. It was a interview about an topic, the first piece of her writing about Freddie's chess was his favorite, he hoped and prayed he was the next player that went under her delicate pen. That was all he would be able to hear from her. And if his game could be called perfect by Florence, would mean the world to him.

One word about his game would bring him satisfaction, not as much as waking up with Florence in his arms in the morning, yet for that it was too late. They would never be the same again. If his eyes would set eye on her, it would be a world of difference. Yet one look would never mean what it used to. They would never be the same again, he had given up that relationship for the hope that Florence would get her father back and she had. She was happy with her father in a private place. He took the paper as he read the words.  
'Florence Vassy wins 12 matches'. She was on her way to become the champion of Scotland. He knew she was good and finally she had seen her chance to play her own game. He smiled, knowing that in a couple years he would face her. He was glad, the only one stealing his title of word champion should be Florence.

* * *

Freddie ran towards her as he spun Florence around. As her feet returned to the floor, she could see a smile on his face. She had just won the 20th match, 20 without even losing one. She was making her way to being the absolute national champion of Scotland. Only a half year had passed since the beginning of her chess championship and her life had changed for the better. She spit the time between her family and her new found hobby and job. She kept a blog about chess for the newspaper and had enough money to take care for her family and save money.  
"Great job." Freddie smiled "That last most was brilliant…"  
"Am I not always brilliant, Freddie?"

"Well, yes." Freddie smiled "Don't become too cocky."  
"There's no reason I should do that." She smiled as she looked at him. "So how did he react about my hot sexy boy toy?"  
"Well, Anatoly doesn't really appear on the stage when he's not playing chess." Freddie turned away. "They say he's depressed, or maybe he's just stuck up."  
"He's depressed?"  
"So that's what you heard about my previous words." He rolled his eyes. "I seem to remember mentioning his stuck up nature, I mean being a world champion for 3 years must do something to his ego. Not good in his case…"  
"Freddie…" She raised an eyebrow as a smile appeared on her face. "So, he's okay? Has he asked after me?"

"He doesn't really ask after anything." He turned away from her. "He doesn't really talk to me remember, he hates me. I bet he's happy with Svetlana. I mean she's his wife."  
"I guess…" Florence nodded.  
"So how's the family?"  
"my father insists that the kids will have a first word in Hungarian." Florence picked her hand bag up as she stepped to the door. "Me on the other hand I would be happy that's mommy. If it's daddy, I will…"  
"Have you ever tried to contact Anatoly to talk to him about the…"  
"No." Florence turned around. "I have no address and I have contacted Malakov, but he refuses to give me the number. He's afraid I will try to make him change sides once more again. So I have no way to contact him, I'm well aware that I could make you give him a message. I feel that if I tell him, he should hear it from me. I just don't feel like bringing my family in the Commie newspaper thing, that's what will happen. I can see it already, 'World champion has bastard kids with ex-second'. That's the last thing I need, plus they won't take me serious as a chess player when that happens. So, no I haven't told him."  
"That's a good idea, he doesn't deserve to know."  
"That's not true." She turned around to face him. "I think he does deserve to know, it's just that it's too complicated. Yet the situation grows more awkward as the children grow older."  
"That's right." Freddie turned away from him. "Florence, you don't own him anything. He doesn't need to know you carried his offspring, he left you."  
"He left me so my father could come home." She cried. "I think he still loves me. I still love him…"  
"I don't think he still loves you, Florence." He looked her in the eyes. "If he still loved you, why wouldn't he find a way to contact you. He could hand me a letter anything. He has never asked about you and he seems pretty happy with Svetlana. It seems he has forgotten all about you. Me on the other hand, you know I'm still in love with you. I love the munchkins, I'm perfect for you."

"That ship has sailed." Florence turned away. "Too much has happened between us. I love you as a friend, but I don't think I can see you more as a friend. "  
"Don't you think that we grow towards love once again?"  
"Maybe."


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey, _

_Another chapter of Chess. More Svetlana and a friendship is coming your way. I hope you will enjoy this chapter. _

_TempeGeller_

* * *

**Love after Chess**

**Chapter 4: The national champion of The United Kingdom**

As Florence looked at the face of her children, she understood the time that had passed by. 3 years of love and understanding. In the first year she became the champion of Scotland, it had been more simple that she assumed at first, winning a row of 50 games brought her respect from the chess world. Her blog became more popular, as bigger newspapers asked her for the same job. Yet she refused to quit her original job, which made the small paper of Scotland bigger than it ever been. Bringing her to a national champion of the entire country proved to be as difficult she imagined. As the partners became stronger, she needed more energy to beat them. All though she was able to keep her winning going. She became known as the 'Hungarian that never lost' and the person that people feared to play. In the second year of her career, she was able to call her a national champion. But it wasn't until her third year that she belonged to the people to watch. And here she was, in Prague, the capitol of a small country. She stared at the other players as they passed her by.  
On both sides her daughters walked, already speaking to much. Anna Marie played a game where she tried to insult people in Hungarian and get them to believe she was infect complementing them. It did lead to weird situation as some people could understand Hungarian and threw back another insult, in which Anna just stepped their feet really hard. Which did end up bringing Florence in some trouble, but as they couldn't blame a three year old, the trouble moved away. Florence smiled.

"Good game." Freddie moved towards her. They hadn't grown towards each other in the last 3 years, He had hoped that they would grow to the relationship they used the have. The truth was that she was not able to forget Anatoly and she couldn't give her heart to anyone else. She believed it wasn't fear, giving someone half heart wasn't right. In this case she wouldn't even be able to give him that. Nothing of her heart was left and the only people she was still able to love were her 2 daughters, her father and her son that looked more like Anatoly every day. She was careful as she walked through the streets of Prague, since the fear of meeting that very Anatoly existed. Eastern countries kept their finals here too, here they find out who would be the champion of East/West, and the one that was untimely going to the great final and made a chance to become the ultimate chess champion. Yet that wouldn't be her, she had to compete another four years to belong to the level where she could win the right to represent the west.  
"Thanks." Florence replied as Freddie picked up Ilona. A smile appeared on his face.  
"They keep getting prettier." He smiled "They get that from their mother."

"Or it could be…" Florence didn't dare to speak his name. "you know."  
"They surely get that from you, Florence." Freddie smiled "You have beautiful DNA to overpower his red DNA."  
"Freddie…" She said as she shared her anger towards the nickname he used for the Sovjets. She walked on as she pulled her other daughter in her arms. 3 years old and she didn't even find the courage to search for his number. And even if she found it, she wouldn't be able to call. What would she say. 'Hey, I forgot to tell you I was pregnant. Congrats, you're a father.'. No, that were hardly words that she could speak to him. So she decided not to try anymore. She was loved her children, yet the knowledge of having children would make Anatoly's life even more difficult. She didn't want to do that. Yet when she heard about the matches he won, he thought about telling him. She knew where to find him, she knew that she could find out what his hotel room was. Yet he could do the very same thing, yet he didn't. Why wouldn't he come to ask her how she had been? Was that too much? Didn't he want to know how she was doing?

* * *

Anatoly stepped on a busy elevator ride. He didn't like it when there were to many people, but now even with 6 people he got nervous. Not because of the presence of 5 people, but the presence of one person burned in his mind. Frederick Trumper. The man he talked to on a month basis. The man that swore to tell him the truth about Florence at all times. The only way that he still could know how Florence was doing. Every time Anatoly saw him, questions burned on his tong. Yet somehow, some questions never saw the light of day. He stepped closer as he place himself right next to Freddie.  
"How is she?" Anatoly whispered.  
"Who are you talking about?" Freddie replied, being well aware to whom the question referred. "Florence?"

He nodded his head as a smile appeared on Freddie's face. Was it a smile because she was happy or a smile about his control of the situation? If he didn't tell anything about Florence, he wouldn't know. That wasn't entirely true, he could simple ask her hotel number, visit her. Yet he was too much of a coward to do so.  
"You know, you could ask her yourself." Freddie smiled. "She's right here, room 512."  
Anatoly saw a smile, Freddie knew that he was too much of a cowards to drop by. Even if he had her room number now. He wouldn't do it, there was a fear to what she would tell him. If she would even open the door.  
"Well, I wouldn't bother…" Freddie replied "She's very happy with me. It was easy you know, carrying on where we left off. I was surprised of the limited time she needed to get over you."  
"Oh…" He reacted in sadness. "So you and Florence are together again, like old times?"  
"We've known each other longer." Freddie smiled "It turns out that you and Florence were a fling, I'm the real deal she says. I even think about getting married, don't let the press know. Florence hates it when the press knows things before she does."  
Anatoly turned away in grief, it was a lot more painful knowing the love of your life had moved on, than actually losing her. It felt like a knife to his heart. Now he didn't want to visit her anymore. He didn't want to break the happiness Florence had. She was the most important thing to him and her happiness was the most important thing to him.  
"I won't go see her…" He turned to Freddie. "out of respect for Florence, if she's happy with you, I don't want to bring back the past. I'm glad she's happy."  
"Well, she's extremely happy." Freddie smiled "Never asks about you. Every year you ask me if she asks after you, and every year I'll tell you 'no'. She has forgotten you, just like you wanted. That's where you go by showing your loyalty to a game."  
"Good luck." He shook Freddie's hand as he stepped of the elevator. He headed to his room straight away, he didn't show the pain he felt right now. In fear that they would be able to use Florence against him. He couldn't get distracted right now. As he stepped in the room, he put his eyes on Svetlana. She was sitting by the table with a book clenched in her hands. It was a copy of Anna Karina, one of her favorite books. She took it everywhere and had read it over 50 times. It was the only books that she insisted on always carrying. It was like the bible to some people. In fact he believed that Svetlana should swear ode on that very book.

"Anatoly." She stood up as she put the book on the table. Her voice was cold, like they didn't see each other every single day. Which they usually didn't. He traveled a lot playing matches and she spent her time at home with the children. "So?"  
"I won." He rolled his eyes. "If that is what you're asking."  
"Is it really so strange for me to be interested in your game." Svetlana turned away.

"Oh cut the crap." Anatoly walked to the bedroom and removed his tie. As he returned to the living room, he poured himself a glass of whiskey. "You're just here to make sure that I won't pull Florence to my bedroom. You're scared that being in the same hotel as her, will bring me in the temptation to cheat. She has a boyfriend, you know. Frederick Trumper, the current champion of the west on the first level."  
"That's interesting, Anatoly." Svetlana turned around the table. "But that won't stop you to end up with your one true love. And you know what Malakov will say if you only dare to jump sides again…"  
"Yeah, yeah…" He poured another glass of whiskey. "Sometimes, you are so…"  
"Annoying." She raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to annoy you, I'm your wife."  
"You do know she has a hotel room too." Anatoly took a sip. "If we both were really willing to cheat, we could do it in her hotel room, in her bed."  
"I didn't need to know that alternate plan." Svetlana gave him the stink eye. "I didn't even know you were smart enough to figure out that alternate plan. And have you?"  
"Have I what?"  
"Cheated in her room, in her bed?" She stepped right in front of him as 3rd glass of whiskey was poured in his glass. He placed his hands gently around it, drinking it in his entirety.  
"Maybe…" He took another sip. "Maybe…"  
"Maybe?" Svetlana slapped him. "Is that what our relationship means to you. I might have cheated on you again, honey."  
"Don't be so vane…" He filled his 4th glass. "I'm aware that you do the same all the time when I'm not at home. We might be married, but that didn't stop you to cheat on me."  
"You're never home…" She said in all anger. "You're always off to countries.."  
"You could join me, like you're doing now." Anatoly smiled "But now you're here as a spy, to make sure me and Florence don't do the nasty."  
"You're well aware that my mother can't babysit the children all the time." Svetlana smiled "That's true, we have kids. Your kids."

Anatoly turned around as he took the bottle of whiskey and the glass to his room. Svetlana grabbed her book and returned to the sitting position. Anatoly turned to the loneliness of his room. A picture of Florence was hid between a book on the bedside table, it was a picture fo the two of them. Their eyes were locked on each other and they didn't seem to care that a picture had been taken. Yet these times were far gone. And to the story of Freddie, they would never return. He was happy with him. Was there a reason for Freddie to lie and were they not really together. There was a chance that might be true, but even if it was. Going to Florence would brek her heart and that was the last thing she wanted.

When there was happiness in the heart of Florence, he would be happy. And if she were truly the most happy woman in the world, he would be the happiest man in the world. Happy in all his misery. His heart screamed for Florence, his mind was filled with hope for her and the satisfaction of her happiness.

* * *

She stared in the eyes of her opponent. 5 to 1, the chance she would win were big. Yet he could still attack her with the element of surprise, if she would make a mistake, victory could still be hers. She stared in front of her as she moved her last piece.  
"Check mate…" The crowd applauded as she won the game and moved forward to the next round and her last match of the level. Ready to be the champion of her level, not the highest, so she would not make a chance to compete against the world champion. She did move one level closer to the hope to play that very champion. Now that was Anatoly, but she still believed that Freddie had some games on his sleeve and maybe this year victory would be on his side.  
She smiled as she moved away from the crowd. There were her children, watching her win. She was sure that the 3 year olds had no idea what was going on, but they were clapping their hands together in happiness. They might not understand the chess competitions, but they did understand the happiness of winning. Ilona threw herself in Florence's arms, while Anna Maria hugged her leg. There was Sander staring back at her in all his shyness. As a 3 year old he had no grown to be sociable. Just like Ilona, but she had a need to be close to her mother in public. That need was not shared by Sander, almost like he already gotten the shame for his parents. In the privacy of their home, he was the closest to her. Preferring her bed to his. So many nights, she shared the bed with all 3 of her children. In the closeness of parenthood. The one thing that kept Anatoly close.

At the same time Svetlana stepped from the elevator. She wanted to see Florence for herself, she believed that she would be able to see the affair on her face. When Florence and Anatoly were involved in a relationship, she had a glow around her. A happy glow, one she used to have a very long time ago. And as she stepped towards Florence, she saw a glow on her face. Maybe it was the victory that had just came to her, or maybe it was true. Maybe Anatoly had brought new power to their affair.  
Her face changed when a little girl threw herself in Florence's arms. She recognized the brown girls from a distance. They were unnoticeable the curls she loved about Anatoly. This was his daughter and she could see that she was Florence's daughter as well. The affair had created a product and Florence had the very thing she didn't have. Off spring by the DNA of Anatoly. From far she could see that the boy next to a man seemed like Anatoly's son. In fact they were an exact clone, you couldn't get anything closer to a little Anatoly. The girl clenching Florence's leg was an identic copy to the girl that had thrown herself in the arms of Florence. A triplet. And the glow belong to the motherhood that was upon her. They weren't having an affair, she was sure of it. If they did Anatoly would have left her for this family. No, she could sleep on both ears, she could move away with the knowledge Anatoly wasn't in contact with Florence anymore. Yet her heart couldn't do so. She felt for Florence. She was a single mom, a chess player and she seemed to combine the two perfectly. Plus, she had an extra job keeping a journal of her chess experiences. She was better in everything.

As she stepped closer to the group, she hoped to see them. Just to know that Florence was happy or maybe she wanted to see what the children of Anatoly looked like. And when she came closer she saw the beauty of the young child. She looked around 3 years old, they could be younger. Yet she saw the youth of her children in them. Right now they were going through the puberty, a face of their life that was not that easy. Specially with Anatoly, they didn't give them the same rules. Anatoly didn't care about rules and let them do anything. Yet Svetlana kept great rules, for that they hated her. As she stared she saw the charm of a younger age, not that she didn't love her children. But she missed the love they had for her.  
"Svetlana…" Florence replied as she noticed her presence. She slowly pushed the child behind her as she had the other one in her arms. Svetlana smiled as she answered with her name.  
"How are you, Florence?" Svetlana smiled  
"I'm fine." She nodded her head as Anna Marie stepped before her once more again. "This is Anna Marie, Ilona and my son Sander."  
"Wow." Svetlana moved her mouth in front of her mouth. She stared at the man next to the young boy. "And that's your father."  
"Yes." Florence smiled. "I figure you understand who claims the parenthood to my children. I'm not planning on telling Anatoly, I respect your relationship. I'm not planning on disturbing in once more again. Even if I'm still single, I need not more but my children."  
"So you and Freddie are not together?"  
"Not really." Florence laughed "We're not compatible in a relationship, we didn't know that then. We do know that now."  
"Can I have a conversation later tonight?" Svetlana turned to Florence. "We need to speak about this situation, about what I want to get to Anatoly and what you want to get to Anatoly."  
"Nothing." Florence replied. "It's all up to you."  
"Okay." She said as she started to move away from Svetlana. "Tonight at the bar, 7."  
She walked away as Svetlana kept her eyes on her. Her father was right behind her, not saying anything about the things she was doing. He didn't give her any comments, he only gave advice when she needed it. Right now he knew that she didn't need help. The walk to her hotel room was longer than the previous time, when she got there she took a bath. She needed to relax for the conversation that could reveal the children to Anatoly. She was sure, she would let Svetlana decide about it. If she wanted her children to be part of the bigger family, she would give them a chance.

As the warm water hit her skin, relaxation was brought to her body. She needed it, in the living room she could hear the laughter of her children. Her father was rather well with them. He loved them a lot and they brought a happiness to both of their lives, a happiness that nothing else would have brought them. She wouldn't give them up for the world and the same counted. As the clock hit 6, she stepped from the warm bath, now she would be heading for the bar. Only after she put on something nice, something that was neutral. She picked a black dress, long sleeves. A dress that reached over her knees. A dress that she used for funerals, but now she used it for a talk. She turned to her father and gave her kids a kiss goodnight.  
On her way down it was always possible to meet Anatoly. It was almost seven and she was scared to be late on the talk. It wouldn't make a great impression to be late. As she stepped in the bar, she could see Svetlana sitting on the first table. Svetlana had a bottle of vodka standing beside her.  
"That's strong." Florence said as she sat down. "I hope you're careful with that. A hangover from vodka is pretty painful, I can promise that to you."

"I just had the one…" Svetlana laughed "I am willing to drink more of it."  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" Florence pulled the bottle away from him. "Plus we have to talk, you can't do that when you're drunk. You wouldn't remember what you said tomorrow."  
"You must think I'm an idiot." Svetlana turned away. "I have Anatoly, I have a family, you must think I have everything, why am I complaining you might ask?"  
"I ask no such thing…" Florence lifted her hand in order to get a drink. "I'm well aware a relationship isn't always what it seems. Behind the perfection, there can be cracks. I see you're suffering from those cracks, I want to say that I'm not here to break your relationship farther. He doesn't need to know. I wanted to tell him, but somehow I think it's most important what you think, I harmed you once with our affair. I'm not being that woman again, neither will my children break you relationship. They are happy without a father figure."  
"I want to tell you…" Svetlana smiled "I wasn't mad with you, I have to admit Anatoly was not the first one to commit adultery. You must know that our relationship is not like you and Anatoly had. It's not build of love…"  
"What do you mean?" Florence looked at her drink that arrived.  
"When I was about 20 I had a relationship with Eric Malokov, the son of Alexander. He was Anatoly's second, yet he didn't like his son being with a farm's daughter. So, he wanted to marry me of to someone else. It was then that Anatoly came to his team, he liked me. I didn't have problems with him, yet I wasn't in love with him." Svetlana cried. "It was either way dead or marrying him. It was then I found out I was pregnant with Eric's child. I didn't tell, we were married right away. I made Anatoly believe it was his child, he believed she came early. He never knew and I never told him. From the beginning of our marriage, I kept my relationship with Eric going. He was about to be married to a girl, yet he never loved her either. Alexander needed something from that woman's family, the marriage with his son was just to win power. That man does anything for power."  
"So Eric is the one you still have an affair with?"  
"God no." Svetlana replied "He died, when he stood up to his father. It seemed like an accident, but it was in fact murder. I have a relationship with Vigand, I don't love him, but he fills the emptiness Anatoly leaves. I did start to care for Anatoly, after Eric died I started to fall in love with him. Yet his very absence brought an emptiness that I needed to fill. Vigand was there."  
"I understand." Florence took a sip. "There's no worst curse than loneliness."

"Look, I understand you can run off to Anatoly and tell him about all of this." Svetlana smiled "The truth is I would understand, I've not always been good in my life. I don't call myself a saint, I do wrong things. I want to pay for my mistakes."  
"You shouldn't…" Florence turned away. "You're a victim of opportunity."  
"So you won't tell?"  
"No." Florence smiled "I have a good life. I have my father, I have my kids. I'm not going to take Anatoly away from you. That is the last thing I want to steal away from you, but like I already told you, the choice lies with you. If you want to tell Anatoly, I will stand by your choice."  
"I'm sorry…" Svetlana stared at her. "I don't think I'm ready for that truth to get to him. I'm selfish, I think I can make my relationship with Anatoly better."  
"I understand." Florence took a piece of paper and she wrote down a name and address. She put her phone number right under it. "If you need help, or if you just need to talk. You can write me, you can call me, anything."

"Thanks." Svetlana smiled "Florence, would you mind just sitting here?"  
"No." Florence smiled "Off course not."  
So they sat there together. There was something about the both of them that was the same. There was a level of understanding between the two of them. They both suffered because of the Sovjets. And Florence couldn't bring herself to tell Anatoly the truth. Svetlana's happiness was bound right to Anatoly and as far she was concerned, Anatoly didn't care about her anymore. That is if she could believe the words of Freddie. The silence the best for the both of them. For hours they sat there, not saying a thing. This was the moment, Florence and Svetlana became friends.

* * *

After the championship, Svetlana and Florence kept calling each other. They were friends and confided in each other about life's dangers. It was something Florence liked, she wrote them about the children and Svetlana wrote back about the dangers of puberty. She smiled each time as a letter arrived. Anatoly and everyone else was unaware of the relationship between them. This morning was one that brought a rather large package. Florence opened it as she found a letter there.

_Dearest Florence, _

_I was cleaning up the attack and I found some stuff my girls can't use anymore. Clothes, toys, that kind of stuff. I wanted to throw them away, but I believed that maybe your children could use it. Feel free to throw it away if you can't use it._

_I must say I enjoy this friendship, I actually never truly had a friend. It's very unusual that the first friend of mine is actually the very 'other' woman. I started a fund for all three of your children, I put money in it from time to time. It's for all three of them, for college or anything. I know Anatoly would want that. Plus, I feel like your children are so important to me.  
How do you feel me stopping by Scotland? I feel like a talk always makes me happy. It seems that your friendship means more to me than the relationship I had going with Vigand. In a way, I think having a friend feels good. _

_Don't worry, Anatoly is doing well. He's still on a high from being world champion for the 5__th__ time in line. I'm so sorry for Freddie, it was a pretty close call. 6 to 5 is quite close. I hope Freddie is okay. Are you sure that nothing can ever happen to them? I want to see you happy. I don't think you need a relationship to be happy. I'm going to give my relationship a chance. _

_I'm dying to see you and the munchkins.  
Svetlana_

Florence smiled as she opened the box. She found all kind of clothes for her girls, there were also dolls in the boxes and all kinds of things she imagines Svetlana couldn't use anymore. She liked all of them as she put them on the table. Some dresses were great for Ilona, others she saw on Anna Marie. As the box was empty, she grabbed a pen.

_Dearest Svetlana_

_Thank you for the beautiful things, you'll make some princesses here rather happy. This toys are beautiful and some are even exactly what they've been asking for. They are going to love it, I'll tell Aunt Svetlana send them a gift. It's very nice of you to start a fund for them, I'm not asking you, that doesn't mean I'm not grateful. I am sure that the girls will be grateful and Anatoly will really like this. I'm really glad that you are not in that empty relationship anymore, the way you talked about him didn't seem your love for him was true. You can better wait for Anatoly to take time for you, but Svetlana you should demand it. That is the very thing I got thought, get interested in chess. I could always teach you some when you visit us. I'm awaiting. I'll call you for the details. Scotland is beautiful this time of year. _

_Love, _

_Florence_


End file.
